Bunions and corns Treatment in Miami

Bunions and corns are two common foot-related ailments that affect millions
of Americans each year. Here at the office of Barry M. Tuvel, DPM, we
provide comprehensive corn and bunion treatment for patients in Miami,
FL. Learn more about the differences between bunions and corns, their
causes, and the treatment plans offered here at our office. To schedule
a consultation, give us a call at (305) 279-2499 today!

What Are Bunions?

Bunions are misaligned big toe joints that can become swollen and tender,
causing the first joint of the big toe to slant outward, and the second
joint to angle toward the other toes. People with a bunion have a toe
that points outward, as well as a bump on the inner side of the foot.
As the bunion becomes more prominent, pain can develop. Bunions are a
common problem that can cause foot pain and difficulty wearing shoes.
Bunions occur in about 30% of the population of most Western countries.
They are seen most commonly in women and older age groups.

What Are Corns?

Corns are skin growths that form on bony prominences on the feet due to
excess pressure. A corn is simply a callus on the foot and forms wherever
there is excess pressure (typically on knuckles, tops of toes, or between
the toes).

What Causes Bunions?

Tight-fitting shoes are thought to be the cause of bunions in most patients.
Shoes such as high heels or cowboy boots are particularly damaging to
the toes. These shoes have a sloping foot bed and a narrow toe box. The
slope causes the front of the foot to be pushed with force into the narrow
toe box, causing the toes to become squeezed together. Depending on factors
such as duration of wearing constraining footwear, skeletal maturity,
and individual factors, the toes can become adapted to the new position
and lead to the deformity we know as a bunion.

Footwear is not the only cause of bunions. Genetics do play a significant
role: people who have a history of bunions in their families are also
much more likely to have bunion than people who do not. Injuries to the
foot can also be a factor in developing a bunion. In most cases, individuals
with bunions possess a combination of characteristics that make them susceptible
to the condition. For example, women over the age of forty who have a
family history of bunions, and often wear high-heeled shoes, would be
considered to be at high risk for bunion development.

What Causes Corns?

Though not nearly as severe as bunions, corns have many of the same causes.
Corns almost exclusively occur due to friction caused by shoe pressure
against bony prominences of the foot or toes.

Bunion Treatment: The Surgical Route

Once a bunion has set in, the only treatment option is surgery. Bunion
surgery usually involves breaking the toe bone (metatarsal) to correct
the alignment problem that caused the bunion to form; this part of the
procedure is called an osteotomy. The surgery also involves tightening
the ligaments on the outside of the toe, and loosening of the ligaments
on the inside, so the tension on the ligaments holds the toe pointing
in the proper direction. Pins, plates, or screws are often utilized to
hold the bone while it is healing.

Rehab After Bunion Surgery

After surgery, the foot must be protected to allow the broken bone to heal,
and the inflammation to subside. The use of immobilization and/or crutches
will depend on the particular procedure that needs to be performed. There
are variations of how and where to break the bone depending both on surgeon
preference and the severity of the deformity.

Corn Removal and Treatment

Symptomatic treatment of corns may be performed in our office through pairing
and removal of dead skin on targeted areas. For long-term relief, it is
best to schedule a consultation with our podiatric professionals in order
to ascertain exactly how your corns are forming.